With Light There Is Hope

Imagine you are in the position of Stephen (Jack Huston).  With an urge to find someone who might be able to help you settle life crisis, you have to go 200 metres under the ground in a mine in an unfamiliar place and you don’t know what is going to happen.  You dare to take the challenge?  Experience Stephen’s adventure in the 2nd episode of Ermenegildo Zegna’s “A Rose Reborn” to learn how he speaks to the voice of Mr Lu.

Stephen’s enlightenment has been witnessed in the last episode – how he steps out from his comfort zone to reach out to a new territory of opportunities.  Now he is on a tougher adventure, deep underground in the mine in Wyoming.   In an unknown location, alone and confused in the dark and probably having fear of the potential danger in a mine which carries a sense of death; he is feeling uneasy. 

The film’s renowned director Park Chan-Wook has indicated that this philosophical film is about “being creative, daring, and starting anew”.   The character Stephen has been put to face life difficulties and now the fear of the unknown.  He is dedicated go on this mission, though he still does not know if there is really a mysterious Mr Lu who might be his hope? 

Calming down, he organizes his mind and looks further where there is a spot of light at the far end of the tunnel.  Light in contrast to the darkness he is in, it ignites his hope.  However, nothing is just given, he still has to reach out for opportunities and experience everything.  The light does not seem to bring Mr Lu directly to him.  Instead it is a bit dramatic, there only comes the messenger (Daniel Wu) of Mr Lu.

The journey actually epitomizes the pursuit of knowledge where Director Park has carefully tied in Asian concept of thinking and learning.  So, is the presence of the messenger a help for Stephen to learn or creating more challenges for him?  Keep an eye on their interaction to find the hints.